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What's new in 2021/22: Match officials

5 Aug 2021
Jarred Gillett

Four new referees will officiate this season after being promoted to Select Group 1

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We look at new things for fans to keep an eye out for in the 2021/22 Premier League as we get closer to the start of the season. 

Match officials

There will be four new regular referees in charge of matches this season.

Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) have promoted Jarred Gillett, Michael Salisbury, Tony Harrington and John Brooks to Select Group 1.

New refs 21/22
From left: Jarred Gillett, Michael Salisbury, Tony Harrington and John Brooks

Gillett will be the Premier League's first foreign referee, having moved over from Australia, while Salisbury is following in the footsteps of his father Graham, who was also a referee.

Graham retired on the final day of the 2020/21 season, with Michael his fourth official. 

Harrington is the grandson of former Hartlepool United player Tommy McGuigan, and Brooks is continuing a rapid rise after being promoted to Select Group 2 as recently as 2018.

Meanwhile, Lee Mason will become the league’s first dedicated Video Assistant Referee after retiring from his on-field duties at the end of last season, having been a Premier League referee for 15 years.

Also in this series

Part 1: VAR implementations
Part 2: Handball law
Part 3: 
Brentford to make debut
Part 4: Brentford add 60th stadium
Part 6: Nike Flight ball
Part 7: FPL League Cup
Part 8: Zambia can join scoring nations
Part 9: Managers
Part 10: Match Insights—Powered by Oracle Cloud

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